Local Driving Guide

From a Professional Tico driver

The following are two options for how to drive yourself from one from one of the most experience personal, tourism drivers in Costa Rica.

Read more: Driving Directions from Arenal to Manuel Antonio

Turning and signaling

If there is no on-coming traffic, a polite turn should about 1 minute, longer if you need to adjust your radio. If you're ever accused of not signaling, just tell them you "Saca su lenga." It just means you stuck out your tongue in the direction of the turn - morally that is all that is required.

Once I tried using the proper arm signal to let the car behind us that we were going to stop. I hung my arm out the window with my hand pointing down. The driver behind me was concerned as he pulled in front of me and asked me if I put out my arm because I was having health problems.

Parking

Where can you park? Easy! Anywhere there is a good asphalt or cement road. However, you're only allowed to park on the highway to answer you cell phone if it is an important call. If you are on a motor scooter the call doesn't need to be so important because your smaller vehicle takes up less road space. If two cars, on each side of a two-lane highway stop to chat, just wait patiently and find something else to do for awhile.

Road rage

If you almost cause an accident, hope that the other driver gets mad for only then can you gain the moral high-ground.  For witnesses often will say it was the fault of the person who got mad. Costa Rica does not have "No-Fault" insurance laws.

Even When You're Right, Sometimes You're Wrong

Low on cash or desperate for gasoline?

The gas station and ATM machines are shown on the driving Map of Tamarindo. Finding an ATM is easy, every bank has one, but there is only one gasoline station in the entire area! Seems inconvenient, but we would miss those heart-stopping, desperate trips while driving only on fumes.

Seriously, General Instructions

Almost all of the roads are two-lanes with no shoulder. Drive defensively and don't speed. Remember, that most speed limits posted are kilometers per hour and not miles per hour. Thus, 80 kph is about 50 mph which is the fastest you should ever go.

While driving you'll see; people riding bicycles on the highway, tractors on the highway, 4 or 5 big trucks in a row, people riding slow motorbikes on the highway. When you encounter someone on a bicycle on the highway, you move over to go around them. If there is oncoming traffic, you stop until it passes. This is an example of what it's like.

If you see a line of trucks and cars coming towards you, watch carefully. Since some people go nuts and have no idea just how long it takes them to pass and you might have a scary encounter. On the smaller roads, you may encounter one-way bridges. No problem since one side or the other has a Yield and they have to wait until the bridge is clear.

Above all, obey the speed limit and always wear your seat belt. The traffic police are harsh about people who don't wear their seatbelts. If you are stopped for speeding, smile and take the ticket. It will not be much. Do not argue that you were not speeding and do not pay the policeman. Your rental car company will take care of this. It's simple to pay the ticket at a bank.